Outstanding property in Cannes

A hymn to sheer luxury, with a thousand-and-one surprises in store.

A hymn to sheer luxury, this sublime property in La Californie has a thousand-and-one surprises in store…

The Côte d’Azur is renowned for its beautiful properties, its sea views and magnificent landscaped parks. Art Deco or neo-Palladian style, evoking Provence or Tuscany, some even dare to be contemporary while others offer more than generous living space or nestle at the heart of wooded estates. A classic winter haven for high society from 1870 onwards, the Riviera can fairly lay claim to being the cradle of the “Belle Epoque”. Thanks to this resounding success that lasted over a century, the Mediterranean shore has inherited many architectural gems, residences which now belong to history. Such high potential naturally drew a considerable number of professionals, including Robert Mallet-Stevens, Eileen Gray, Le Corbusier, Jacques Couëlle, Oscar Niemeyer and Anti Lovag. Nowadays, the media jump on the bandwagon and these “superb Riviera homes” become sites of predilection for TV reality shows.

Spacious, exotic… In the main residence of this extraordinary property, luxury unfolds with no half-measures : several nuances of marble for the floors, in the bathrooms and as encrustations in the mural frescos, plus decorative staff, flowing drapes, mirrors and fireplaces. The various styles converge and combine, the corresponding furniture basks in the light. Each detail contributes to the idea of richness and opulence, each room goes one better than the last. While the second villa opts for rustic warmth, the third is decidedly Moorish… As witnessed by the magnificent Oriental room.

Carnet Total surface area : 5,000 m2, divided amongst the three villas and numerous utilities. Grounds of over 16,000 m2, four swimming pools including two indoor. This property in Cannes can be rented partially or in its entirety. Contact Croisette International, 45 boulevard de La Croisette, Cannes (04 92 99 19 63 or 06 09 98 07 96).

No way you can see it from outside ! Sheltered by a dense mantle of vegetation, the property, extending over 16,000 m2 of land, is protected from prying eyes with the sea as its only witness.

There’s one property, however, that escapes all classification. If, like its neighbours, it benefits from a prestigious location, an enchanting view and unquestionable quality in terms of construction, it stands out above the rest for its sheer excessiveness. A park of 16,000 m2, three villas and several outbuildings (total living space of 5,000 m2) in the prestigious neighbourhood of La Californie. While available space is increasingly rare in the Festival City, the main buiding here proposes six lounges, including one that is truly “panoramic”, real winter palaces with a touch of the Orient or Baroque : huge crystal chandeliers, Corinthian columns, marble floors, “moucharabiehs” with intricate details and certain items in gold-leaf. The view makes one dizzy, the eye hesitates, refuses to focus, then slowly takes everything in. From the Pointe du Palm Beach to the Massif de l’Estérel, from La Californie to the Lérins Islands, the deep blue sea sends back its sparkling reflections… Such a setting is indeed intemporal. One’s gaze wanders round the park : palm-trees, century-old pines, a pathway hollowed out of a rock… One continues the exploration, intoxicated by such luxuriance. And yet you’re completely taken aback when, while visiting the five floors, you enter a strange room of 100 m2. Mirrors on one side, picture-windows on the other. It’s hard to take in at first glance : perspex consoles, tables, sofas and… a bathtub. Nothing in the layout leads one to expect that it’s a bathroom, except that it adjoins a bedroom. When you take a closer look, the alcoves may lead into a dressing-room, or an exercise room. The visitor is even more amazed by the Oriental room : the arcades and fountains, patterns and cushions, features in brass and sculpted wood all add to the exoticism. Henceforth, one is no longer surprised by the “salons de coiffure”, indoor pools, discotheques or the vivarium transformed into a Japanese garden… After visiting the main residence, you think you’ve seen everything. A false, preconceived idea that quickly fades when you enter the second villa. As rustic as the heart desires, with terra-cotta flooring with wood encrustations, large old-fashioned fireplaces and visible beams on very high ceilings, it nonetheless offers luxury worthy of the Sun King. Ever-present, the view is sublime, from the master bathroom and the majestic open-air pool area, all in teak. Surrounded by pots, divans and vegetation, the geometric pool extends outside. The room adds a Zen-like touch to the property, almost minimalist and truly admirable.

The third house is an unrepentant exploration of Moorish art. The highlight of the show is the Oriental room on two floors. It owes its very special atmosphere to the coloured glass and mosaic windows, numerous fountains, lamps in handworked pewter, ebony “moucharabiehs”…

Throughout the entire property, peacefulness and serenity reign supreme. And yet one can easily imagine the outdoor amphitheatre full for a concert, the astonishing, 50-metre, musical fountain in activity, slender silhouettes - who could well be celebrities like Gérard Depardieu, Patrick Bruel, Luc Besson, Naomi Campbell and Sting -, mounting the colonial staircase for sumptuous festivities organized here.

By Laetitia Rossi - Photos Edith Andreotta